PHILADELPHIA — The lights of Broadway and the aura of Allen Fieldhouse are enough to leave any player in awe, if not intimidated right out of their jock.

Indeed, Madison Square Garden and Kansas’ historic home court represent so much more than simply a place to play a college basketball game. That is why Khalif Wyatt’s recent performances in both venues stand out.

In his first-ever visit to the Garden, the Temple guard recorded a career-best 33 points in an 83-79 victory over then-No. 3 Syracuse three days before Christmas. Two games later on Jan. 6, Wyatt posted 26 points in a 69-62 loss at then-No. 6 KU, a game the Owls led with less than three minutes to play.

It is one thing to shine in such venues, but to have such headline-grabbing efforts so close together in such meccas speaks volumes of what Wyatt can do on the floor.

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“Those games were a chance to get out there, have fun with your teammates and compete against the best teams in the country,” said Wyatt. “I always wanted to play (at Madison Square Garden) because so many great players have played there and Kansas was definitely the loudest place we have been in. I was happy with how we competed and we had a chance to win at Kansas.”

Wyatt has certainly given the Owls a chance to win and then some since riding the bench as a freshman. As a sophomore in 2010-11, he was named Atlantic-10 Sixth Man of the Year. Then last season he exploded to average 17.1 points per game, good for fourth in the conference and earning him second team A-10 recognition. Thirteen games into this his senior campaign Wyatt was averaging 16.2 points per contest.

His career on North Broad has been a natural four-year progression from bench to spotlight player. As he showed in the games against the Orange and Jayhawks, he can take over a game and handle the glare of the brightest lights with aplomb. That is all fine and good on the court for coach Fran Dunphy’s team.

Away from the court, the spotlight can have unfortunate consequences. The former Norristown High standout learned that the hard way last June when he was charged with engaging in prostitution and resisting arrest in connection with an Atlantic City prostitution sting. In September, Wyatt was fined $1,000 and ordered to perform community service.

It is easy for somebody to simply say they learned from such an incident and move on. However, good people become better people when they actually grasp what took place, are sincerely remorseful and do not shrug it off as a mere blip in the rearview mirror. By all indications, Wyatt has learned for the better.

“At the time it was a bad experience for me,” said Wyatt. “As time went on I learned a lot from it and gained a lot of knowledge, so it definitely was a learning experience.”

It is such incidents that Wyatt will attempt to steer others away from.

“There definitely is a message to pass along, especially to younger guys and others who want to be in the national spotlight as far as sports and other stuff,” he said.

It is a message Wyatt could carry on long after his playing days conclude. While he hopes to get a shot at the NBA — some draft pundits have him pegged for mid-second round — or at least play in Europe, the social work major has a plan for life beyond basketball.

“I want to work in a youth center, or something similar,” said Wyatt, who is scheduled to graduate in May. “As a social work major I would like to work with delinquent kids, kids that are troubled.”

Wyatt, who helped lead Norristown to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AAAA District title in 2008-09, understands the value in having somebody to look up to. He credits Julius Mack, who was an assistant and head coach at Norristown, as an individual that helped a young Wyatt develop as a high school athlete.

“When I was in high school he pretty much took care of me,” said Wyatt, who enjoys watching Paul Pierce play his trade on the NBA hardwood. “Whenever I needed a ride to go workout, he would get me in the morning and take me to workout. He would leave work early to take me places and I think he kind of made me a priority in high school. He worked with me to help make me better in basketball.”

Better basketball is something Wyatt hopes lies ahead for the Owls as the conference schedule unfolds.

“We are competing with some good teams and we beat some good teams,” he said. “I think that we can get better throughout the year. The sky is the limit and we just need to keep working hard in practice.”